Newbie!!

jaythejug · Post by **jaythejug** » August 23, 2011, 6:15 pm

Hey everyone!
I have always loved old ford trucks, and i have been fortunate to finally get one! YEAH!! I just bought a 1966 f100 longbed. The body is in great shape nothing rusted through. It has the 352 with the cruise o matic 3 speed that was rebuilt by an engine shop about 30,000 ago. I have been driving in back and forth to work everyday for the past couple of weeks. Ive only had some minor issues. like running out of gas when the gauge reads 1/4. supposedly the previous owner installed a new sending unit? Is there some adjustment i can do to get the needle in between the lines? And i have a bad oil leak. i initially thought it was the rear main seal. But after cleaning and exploreing i believe its the oil pan and dip stick. does anyone know the torque specs for the oil pan on a 1966 352 FE? im finding many different answers 8ft lbs. to 12ft lbs. and one more thing guys, can anyone recomend a good set of repair manuals for my truck? there are many out there i just want to know what you all think. thanks everyone.

unibody madness · Post by **unibody madness** » August 23, 2011, 6:41 pm

Jaythejug ,
Welcome from Califor9yea. :welcome:

The best course for you, is to find a set of ford shop manuals.
You can buy a set on e-bay on cd to get you through, but if you are patient you should be able to get a good deal on the set of four printed originals for the garage. there are some other generic manuals out there that would help but the ford manuals are right on target.
Everyone here loves to see some pics so load em if you got them.
(You know someone was going to say it) :roll:

Where are you from?

John

Post by **Greg D** » August 23, 2011, 7:12 pm

Welcome to Slick 60s.
As you are driving it daily I HIGHLY recommend you do a dual master cylinder conversion if it hasn't already been done. Can be done in a long afternoon.

banjopicker66 · Post by **banjopicker66** » August 23, 2011, 7:28 pm

Welcome from South Carolina!
The 352 engine is of the FE family, which includes the 360 and 390. FEs are notorious for leaking from the rear of the intake manifold. The easiest way to check it is to spray the engine down with engine cleaner, with special attention to the rear of the heads and the back of the block around the intake and then pressure wash it off to get it very clean. Check for fresh oil above the bellhousing after driving a bit, and you will have found your leak. If this proves to be the case, and I bet it will, then post back, and we can tell you the best and easiest proven way to fix this.
Start looking now for a junk '73-'79 F-100 or F-150 with a 360 or 390 and with A/C, power disc brakes and power steering. The best upgrades for your truck are power disc brakes and power steering, and you will need the engine pulleys and brackets for power steering and A/C from an FE engine to make them work.
There is a high degree of mechanical interchangeability from '65 to '79, so that the upgrades Greg and I have mentioned are easy to do, with only minor modifications. Be careful to note the years, as there is almost no interchangeability from '64 and earlier. (Once you harvest the goodies from the donor truck, sell the engine and transmission from it, or keep for a spare, and make a lot of your money back! Many of us have done this.)

Be sure to drive your truck for a while first to evaluate what, if anything you want to do to it.

It is a lot of fun working on them, that is for sure.

Again, Welcome from South Carolina!

HiBoy63 · Post by **HiBoy63** » August 23, 2011, 7:58 pm

From the 65 Ford truck shop manual. Your torgue setting for the pan to block on a 65 352 is 10-12 foot lbs. Should be the same for the 66. Welcome to the show and have some fun with it.

Post by **foodstick** » August 23, 2011, 8:24 pm

Rusted64 · Post by **Rusted64** » August 23, 2011, 8:42 pm

from Texas.

jaythejug · Post by **jaythejug** » August 23, 2011, 8:55 pm

Thanks guys! Im from michigan and recently moved north and there she was just waiting for me to pick it up!! HA! The truck is actually from tenessee but, made in detroit. Someone before me did take the time to install power steering and front disc brakes (manual). the only problem is i dont know anything about the brakes. pads, calipers etc. i did get a LMC catalog with the truck. as i was flipping through it i notice some parts like door handles, door side pockets probably came from that catalog. so, maybe the disc brake kit came from them? As far as catalogs for re-pop stuff what or who would you recomend for those little things you just cant find and have to get a re-pop. thanks again! i will post some pics. im in the middle of figuring it out!HA!

rcb1020 · Post by **rcb1020** » August 23, 2011, 9:37 pm

Welcome ! where at in Michigan ?

jaythejug · Post by **jaythejug** » August 23, 2011, 9:44 pm

traverse city

slick4x4 · Post by **slick4x4** » August 23, 2011, 9:46 pm

f r o m
K A N S A S

jkimbrel65 · Post by **jkimbrel65** » August 23, 2011, 9:51 pm

from Al.

Mike

doc6368 · Post by **doc6368** » August 23, 2011, 10:01 pm

welcome from Wisconsin!!

rcb1020 · Post by **rcb1020** » August 23, 2011, 10:02 pm

I met a guy from Burton by Flint last weekend at Back to the Bricks car show , told him about the slick 60's site I'm from Grand Blanc , south of the Flint area.

65ford1 · Post by **65ford1** » August 23, 2011, 10:51 pm

Welcome from Washington state, Gene

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » August 24, 2011, 2:19 am

Welcome from down here!

Jerry D · Post by **Jerry D** » August 24, 2011, 6:10 am

Welcome from Illinois.

Jerry D

36truck · Post by **36truck** » August 24, 2011, 8:20 am

Welcome from the UP of Michigan.

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » August 24, 2011, 8:55 am

Welcome from the Rockies in Idaho!!

jaythejug · Post by **jaythejug** » August 24, 2011, 4:38 pm

Thanks! Everyone for the warm welcome! Theres a lot of forums out there that if you ask a simple question they jump all over you. thanks again!

Does anyone know the size of the bolt on the rear axle gear box where you would service the gear oil? ive tried 1 5/16" (too small) 1 3/8" (too big). i measured it and it came out to about 1 11/32" but no one makes a socket that size. Could it be metric? It is the stock rear axle, 2wd. i havent identified it just yet. thanks!